Kva wjii



E. M. YOUNGMAN. THERMOSTAT CONTROLLER FOR HOT WATER GAS HEATERS.

7 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20,1919. 1,340,513. 5

Patented May 18, 1920. 2

UNITED STATES PATN FFIGE.

EMANUEL M. YOUNGMAN, 0F CONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK.

THERMOSTAT-CONTROLLER FOR HOT-WATER, GAS-HEATERS.

Application filed February 20, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMANUEL M. YOUNG- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 13th St. & Surf avenue, Coney Island, New York, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Thermostat-Controllers for Hot-Tater Gas-Heaters, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters, and has for its object the provision of means to maintain a supply of hot water within the ordinary storage tank, said means comprise ing an ordinary gas heater for the water which is automatically turned on to heat the water when the temperature or": the same falls to a predetermined low point, and which is automatically shut oli so as not to overheat the water when the temperature of the same has reached a predetermined high point.

The invention relates more particularly to that class of devices having a gas heater and which completely shuts off the gas supply to the heater, leaving perhaps a pilot light burning for the ready ignition of the gas when again turned on, as distinguished from those devices which merely check or throttle the supply of gas to the heater without completely closing off the same, commonly known as slow-clown devices. In devices ot the character first named, that is which completely shut off the supply of gas to the heater, the principal difliculty to be overcome for successful operation has been to efiect a sufficiently wide and quick opening of the gas supply valve when it is to be opened at all, and also to effect the quick snap-closing of the valve when it is to be closed. The ordinary gas heater most commonly used at the present time is of the Bunsen burner type, which requires a proper ratio of gas to air in the mixing chamber for proper combustion and to prevent back firing. Therefore in these gas control devices it is necessary to open and shut the valves to and from the minimum gas supply adjustment with a quick snap-like movement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which will operate with equal effectiveness for diii'erent adjustments either for maintaining the water in the storage chamber at a comparatively high temperature, or for maintaining it at a com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Serial No. 278,233.

paratively low temperature, and also a device that can be adjusted for 'eflicient operation in places of different climatic temperatures.

In the preferred embodiment of my apparatus shown in the accompanying drawmgs- Figure 1 is an elevation of the device shown installed with a water storage chamher and a gas water heater;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section along line 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the cover of the casing removed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the device along line 4-4L of-Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail section along line 55 of Fig. 4: of the adjusting arm;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the top of the casing showing the adjusting pointer; and

Fig. 7 is a detail section through the valve along line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the ordinary water storage tank; 2 indicates the gas hot water heater 7 having a burner at 3 and the water heating coils 4 mounted therein. The upper end of the coil 4: is connected with the hot water inlet pipe 5, which enters the top of the storage tank 1 through T-branch 6. Pipe 7 runs to the hot water taps for withdrawing the hot water as desired from tank 1. The cold water inlet pipe forthe tank is shown at 8, and it is understood that this extends within the tank to a point adjacent the bottom thereon. The pipe 9 carries the cold water from the bottom of the tank 1 to the heating coils 4% of the heater. The gas burner 3 of the usual Bunsen burner type is supplied with gas from pipe 10 leading from the valve casing 11, which forms part of the thermostatic control mechanism. Pipe 12 leads from any suitable gas supply also into the casing 11.

As shown in enlarged section, Fig. 2, the gas outlet pipe 10 from the casing 11 is adapted to have its communication with said screw-threaded as .at 21, and passes loosely through an armature 22 with a nut 23 se cured thereto .above said armature 22. As shown in Fig. 2, the armature 22 is carried upon the end of an arm 2d and is arranged above the poles of the magnet 16, .so that its downward. movement will permit the valve 13 to be closed by its spring 19 and the upward movement of the armature will engage the nut 21 and lift the valve. The armature carrying arm 24 forms part of a break joint lever, and for this purpose is pivotally car ried at 25 upon an armature-lifting member or lever 26, said lever being pivoted at 2'? upon a fixed standard. 28 of the base 14:. The armature-carrying arm 21, as before stated, carries at one end the armature 22 and is connected at its other end, as at 29, by a spring .30 to the lifting member 26. This spring 30 tends to keep the carrying arm 24 and lifting member 26 in definite relation so as to move as a single lever construction, but when the armature 22 is tracted to the magnet 16, the spring 30 will permit said lever construction to break joint around pivot 25.

The lifting member 26 operated by a suitable train of multiplying levers from the thermostat 31, shown more clearly in Fig. 5. In the preferred form illustrated, a thermostat comprises a closed tube 32, such of copper, which. has a large coe'llicient of exausion, and a S 31, of carlmn, with a very small cos '2 o a, said stem being mounted in the tun shown,

so as to move back and for; with the contraction and expansion of tube 32. The carbon stem 31 preferably has a metallic wear cap .33 engae... g n the end 34-. of a 3 86 upon.

lever .35 pivoted bracket 3? forming a part of the base 14, and the otlu en of said lever las a piojoc. a arm 33 extending beneath a lever 39 pivoted. at ell), also upon a part of the base 1 1. The lift ng member 24) carries near to its pivot 27 an adjustahe stud all, the lower end. of

which engages the outer end of lever Movement of the stem 31 to the right (looking at Fig. 4) due to the contraction of the tube 32, will operate through the train of multiplying levers 35, and 243 to lift the armature 22. When the copper tube 32 expands, the weight of the multiplying levers, just named, will thrust the stem 31 toward the left in said tube 32, but if said weight is not sullicient or if the novice be used in some other position so that the weight of the levers is not effective for this purpose, a suitable spring, such as engaging a tail piece 13 of said lever to, say be employed. It will be noted that the tube 232 communicates at its open end Jith the interior of the valve casing 11. and is moun ed to extend horizontally directly into the water storage chamber 1 whereby it is readily responsive to changes of temperature in said water storage tank.

The adjustable stud. l1 screw-threaded into lever 26 has fixed to its upper end a laterally projecting arm -14; with slotter opening, into which plays the pin of a crank arm :6. The crank arm is fixed shaft 17 extending through the upper wall 15 and which is provided at its upper end with an indicating pointer 18. As shown in beneath said indicating pointer A. spring 51 beneath the head 01' S2111 pointer and received within a counter-sunk portion of the .cover 15 tends to keep said shaft 14: tight within its bearing and prove r the escape of gas. From this it will be seen that the turning of the pointer 18 will. effect be turning of the threaded adjusting screw 41 to raise or lower the same within the lifting member 26, and the exact effect oi this adjustment will be later described.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the description heretofore given, but may be briefly summarizcd as follows. the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, the valve 13 is open and under these conditions gas is entering pipe 12, filling the interior of the valve chamber 11 and passing out through pipe 10 to the burner 3, thus heating the water within the coils 4-. The hot water passes upwardly through pipe 5 into the tank 1, and gradually more and more water within. said tank 1 becomes hated until the level of hot water descends as far as the thermostat tube 32. As soon the tube 32 expands, the weight of the multiplying levers 39, 30 and 26, acting through lever 25, pushes said rod 31 to the left slowly during the gradual expansion of the tube If the valve 13 were brought to its seat 20 as slowly as said tube expands, the gas would be cut oil too gradually and a point would be reached wherein the gas supply would not be sul'licient to effect the ool mixture for the lliuw u burner, and the result would be a back fire in the burner, causing it to lose e'lliciency. Therefore it is desirable to close the valve quickly when it comes to within 9. predetermined distance of its seat 20, and this distance should be at least enough to insure the minimum amount of gas for effecting a proper mixture within the Bunsen burner. In the present construction, when the armature 22 in slowly approaching the magnet 16 comes sufliciently far into" the magnetic field of the magnet, it is suddenly I and abruptly attracted to the magnet, whereupon the valve 13 is impelled by its spring .19 into a quick snap-closing position upon its seat. The movement of the armature 22 toward its magnet causes a rocking of the armaturecarrying member 24 and creates a tension on the spring 30. The valve 13 thus having been closed, the burner 3 goes out and the water within the tank 1 gradually cools off. The thermostatic tube 32 will be contracted by the cooling of the water and will thrust the stem 31 to the right (Fig. 4c), and through the train of levers heretofore described, elevate the lifting member 26 slowly. The member through its pivotal connection 25 will tend to elevate the arm 24, but the armature end of said arm 22 is in contact with the magnet, and therefore only the spring end 29 of said arm will be elevated, creating an increased tension -upon the spring 30. When this tension is sufiicient to break the armature 22 away from the magnet 16, the armature end of the arm 24; will be thrown up abruptly to effect a quick opening of the va vs 13, the spring 30 contracting for this purpose.

When it is desired to adjust the apparatus for a higher temperature of water within the tank 1, it is of course obvious that the tube 32 should be allowed to expand to a greater degree and thus permit stem 31 to move farther to the left (Fig. 1) before allowing the valve 13 to close. In other words, the armature lifting arm 2-6 must be initially placed in a higher position so that it will travel down a farther distance than before for permitting the valve 13 to close. For this purpose, therefore, the screw stud 11 should be turned in the lever 26 to lengthen its lower end and elevate the adjustment of arm 26 with respect to the lever 39. Conversely, when. it is desired to maintain the water in tank 1 at comparatively colder temperature, the gas should be shut off with less expansion of the tube 32, and consequently the adjusting screw 41-1 should be turned in such direction as to shorten its lower end 4:1 and to permit the lever 26 to stand initially into a lower position with respect to the lever 39. It will be noted that the spring 30, since it is carried with the lever 26 and arm 2a in the various up and down adjustments thereof, has its tension only neglibly affected by said adjustments.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications of the parts and arrangements here shown may be made within the scope of my invention, and therefore the claims should be given an interpretation to include all such immaterial variations.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters in combination, a gas valve and magnet, an armature coacting with said magnet for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, connections between said lifting member and said armature, comprising a spring carried bodily with said lifting member, and a thromostat for actuating said lifting member.

2. In a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters in combination, a gas valve and magnet, an armature coacting with said mag net for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, an armature carrying arm'pivoted on said lifting member, a spring connection between said armatureecarrying arm and said lifting member, and a thermostat for actuating said armature-lifting member.

3 In a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters in combination, a gas valve and magnet, an armature coacting with said magnet for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, an arm pivoted between its ends on said lifting member and carrying the armature at one end thereof, a spring connecting the other end of said arm with said lifting member, and a thermostat for actuating said armature lifting member.

4. In a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters in combination, a gas valve with a spring tending to close it, a keeper for limiting the upward movement of said valve, a magnet, an armature coacting with said magnet having a loose play connection with said valve for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, connections between said lifting member and said armature comprising a spring for permitting a limited movementof said lifting member against the ten sion of said spring without lifting the armature, and a thermostat for actuating said armature-lifting member.

5. In a thermostatic control for hot water gas heaters in combination, a gas valve, a keeper for limiting the upward movement of said valve, a spring between said keeper and valve tending to close the valve, a magnet, an armature coacting with said magnet having a loose play connection with said valve for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, connections between said lifting member and said armature comprising a spring for permitting a limited movement of said lifting member against the tension of said spring without lifting the armature, and a thermostat for actuating said armature-lifting member,

6. In a thermostatic control for hot Water gas heaters, in combination, a gas valve and magnet, an armature coaoting with said magnet for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, an armature lever pivoted on sait lifting member, a spring between said lever and member, a thermostat, connections between said. lifting member and thermostat, and means for adjusting said connections Without varying the tension of said spring.

7. In a thermostatic control for hot Water heaters, in combination, a gas valve and magnet, an armature coacting with said magnet for controlling the quick opening and closing of said valve, an armature lifting member, an armature lever pivoted on said member, a thermostat, connections be tween said thermostat and said lifting memler, means for adjusting said connections,

and a tension spring between said lifting member and armature lever bodily movable when said adjusting means is moved, Whereby the tension of said spring remains substantially constant.

8. In a thermostatic control for hot Water gas heaters, in combination, a thermostat, a lifting member operated thereby, an armature lever supported intermediate its length on said lifting member, a gas valve, and an armature carried on said lever, a magnet for said armature, and a tension spring arranged between the end of said lever and said lifting member, said spring adapted to be stretched upon the raising of the lifting member to effect an increased tension against the pull of the magnet upon the armature.

Signed at New York city, N. Y., this 5th day of February, 1918.

EMANUEL M. YOUNGMAN. 

